Although it hasn’t always been the case, we feel it is appropriate to make the entries for the annual Convenors’ Award for Excellence public. There are several reasons for this:

• There is no shortlist announced, so it’s feels right to recognise the entries;
• These are items you may not otherwise have come across, so we’d like to make sure you know about them;
• It may help people figure out what might be eligible in future.

It is very important to note that this list is NOT a shortlist – it is simply a list of the eligible entries we received for the Award this year (please note also that these can be self-nominated). The convenors consider all eligible entries in deciding the winner, but there is no shortlist generated, and only the winner will be presented at the ceremony.

A reminder what this award is for:

The Convenors’ Award for Excellence is awarded at the discretion of the convenors for a particular achievement in speculative fiction or related areas in that year that cannot otherwise by judged for the Aurealis Awards.
This award can be given to a work of non-fiction, artwork, film, television, electronic or multimedia work, or one that brings credit or attention to the speculative fiction genres.

This year’s entries are:

Claire Fitzpatrick – “Why Do People Like Horror Movies?”[Aurealis]

Writing non-fiction is a passion of mine, which I am hoping to turn into a serious academic career. It is my joy and pleasure to research horror and explore its various avenues. I am hoping you will see the dedication I put into my article, and the seriousness of my intent to educate people on horror.

Claire Fitzpatrick – “Dark Fantasy Versus Horror: Why Are Their Differences Important? And Which Genre Should You Introduce to Your Children First?”[Aurealis] 

Horror can also be for children! Childhood is scary. Kids live in a world of insane giants, they are generally powerless, and Horror teaches children the ability to recognise fear with themselves, which can be helpful in times of stress. I wrote this piece for my daughter – she’s 4 and loves scary stories. Horror is good for the soul.

Claire Fitzpatrick – “Body Horror And The Horror Aesthetic” [Aurealis] 

Body horror is a genre that transcends pure fear and manifests in a physical form. It delves into or most primal instincts as human beings. Body horror—which describes creations deemed ‘outside of nature’—is seen as some hideous deformity, but it’s extremely beautiful. I love to write about body horror – indeed, body horror is my passion. This article explains body horror, and why it’s such an interesting branch of horror.

Elizabeth Fitzgerald – Earl Grey Editing [http://earlgreyediting.com.au/] 

As well as working as an editor, Elizabeth is a prolific reviewer who has produced many reviews of Australian works. She also writes a regular collection of “loose leaf links”, which collect links relevant to writers, readers and publishers, focusing on topics such as conventions, equity, awards and competitions. All of this work combines to create a valuable contribution to the Australian speculative fiction field.

Felicity Banks – Scarlet Sails

A rollicking pirate adventure where you choose what kind of pirate you are.

Kate Forsyth – The Rebirth of Rapunzel: A Mythic Biography of the Maiden in the Tower [FableCroft Publishing]

Showcasing an astonishing level of research in a highly readable and engaging form, The Rebirth of Rapunzel delves into the mythology of the Rapunzel fairy tale and examines the historical and storytelling background to the piece. Packaged with several related articles and other pieces, the book is both a factual exploration of a fictional creation and a beautiful reading experience in and of itself. Non-fiction collection

Nalini Haynes – Dark Matter Zine [http://www.darkmatterzine.com/]

For the past 6 years Dark Matter Zine has published interviews and panel discussions featuring science fiction and fantasy authors and publishers as well as reviews of science fiction and fantasy stories and articles about conventions, events and science fiction and fantasy culture. To date Dark Matter Zine has over 109 podcasts, 94 videos, 90 guest blogs and over 1300 reviews. As blogger-in-residence for the ACT Writers Centre I have also featured SFF authors in interviews for the mainstream community. Webzine